A relaying device has a content signal input port configured to receive a first electrical signal conveying information, a content signal output port configured to emit a second electrical signal conveying the information and configured to receive a reference signal, a gain regulation circuit in electrical communication with the content signal input port to establish a predetermined gain upon receipt of the reference signal at the content signal output port and generate the second electrical signal by applying the predetermined gain to the first electrical signal, and a control circuit disposed in electrical communication with each of the gain regulation circuit and the content signal output port to receive and measure the reference signal to establish the predetermined gain.
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15. A method comprising:
connecting an output port of a relaying device to a first end of a transmission line and directly coupling a reference signal generator to an opposite second end of the transmission line;
sending an upstream-propagating reference signal along the transmission line from the reference signal generator to the relaying device;
establishing a predetermined gain at the relaying device based on a measurement of the reference signal;
receiving a downstream-propagating first electrical signal conveying information at an input port of the relaying device;
generating a second electrical signal at the relaying device by applying the predetermined gain to the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal conveying the information of the first electrical signal; and
sending the second electrical signal in a downstream direction along the transmission line from the relaying device.
1. A relaying device for conveying an electrical signal in a downstream direction from a head-end facility to an end user media device, comprising:
a content signal input port configured to receive a downstream-propagating first electrical signal conveying information;
a content signal output port configured to connect to one end of a transmission line an opposite end of which is to be directly coupled to an end user media device, the content signal output port further being configured to emit a downstream-propagating second electrical signal conveying the information over the transmission line for use by the end user media device, and configured to receive an upstream-propagating reference signal over the transmission line;
a gain regulation circuit in electrical communication with the content signal input port and configured to generate the second electrical signal by applying a predetermined gain to the first electrical signal; and
a control circuit disposed in electrical communication with each of the gain regulation circuit and the content signal output port and configured to receive and measure the reference signal received over the transmission line at the content signal output port and to establish the predetermined gain based on said measurement.
12. A relaying assembly comprising:
a splitter configured to receive information and to provide multiple downstream-propagating first electrical signals each conveying the information;
a plurality of relaying devices, each comprising:
a respective content signal input port disposed in electrical communication with the splitter and configured to receive a respective one of said downstream-propagating first electrical signals;
a respective content signal output port configured to connect to one end of a respective transmission line an opposite end of which is to be directly coupled to a respective end user media device, the content signal output port further being configured to emit a respective downstream-propagating second electrical signal conveying the information over the respective transmission line for use by the respective end user media device, and configured to receive a respective upstream-propagating reference signal over the respective transmission line;
a respective gain regulation circuit in electrical communication with the respective content signal input port and configured to generate the respective second electrical signal by applying a respective predetermined gain to the respective first electrical signal; and,
a respective control circuit disposed in electrical communication with each of the respective gain regulation circuit and the respective content signal output port and configured to receive and measure the reference signal received over the respective transmission line at the content signal output port and to establish the respective predetermined gain based on said measurement.
2. A relaying device according to
3. A relaying device according to
4. A relaying device according to
5. A relaying device according to
6. A relaying device according to
an amplifier in electrical communication with the content signal input port, the amplifier configured to generate an intermediary electrical signal conveying the information upon receipt of the first electrical signal at the content signal input port by applying a first gain to the first electrical signal; and
a variable slope circuit in electrical communication with the amplifier, the variable slope circuit configured to receive the intermediary electrical signal and to generate the second electrical signal by applying a frequency-dependent attenuation to the intermediary electrical signal.
7. A relaying device according to
8. A relaying device according to
9. A relaying device according to
10. A relaying device according to
11. A relaying device according to
13. A relaying assembly according to
14. A relaying assembly according to
a plurality of transmission lines, each disposed in electrical communication with a respective content signal output port;
a reference signal generator disposed in electrical communication with a particular one of the transmission lines.
16. A method according to
removing the reference signal generator from electrical communication with the transmission line;
disposing a presentation device into electrical communication with the transmission line; and
presenting the media content conveyed by the first electrical signal.
17. A method according to
18. A method according to
19. A method according to
20. A method according to
21. A method according to
22. A method according to
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This invention generally relates to the relaying of information along a transmission medium, and more particularly relates to automatically establishing predetermined gain applied by a relaying device.
In many data distribution networks, electrical signals conveying information propagate along transmission lines across distances and through splitting and routing devices. Propagation along a typical transmission line imposes attenuation upon a signal, and many splitters are passive devices that divide an incoming signal into multiple outgoing signals having reduced signal strengths. Thus, as information propagates along a typical network, the electrical signals conveying the information can be degraded as they traverse some portion of the network. For example, in a typical cable television (CATV) network, media content propagates downstream from a head-end facility toward presentation and recording devices located in various facilities such as homes and businesses. Along the way, the electrical signals conveying the media content propagate along main trunks, through taps, and along multiple branches that ultimately distribute the content to drop lines at respective facilities. Thus, despite that robust signals are transmitted by the head-end facility, in a typical CATV network, amplification or repeating of propagating electrical signals is needed in order for media content to reliably reach subscribers.
Somewhat typically, a single connection in a information distribution network provides information to multiple devices, each of which relies on a particular transmission line, having arbitrary length or attenuation properties, branching from the single connection. For example, many homes and businesses have multiple media devices and respective transmission lines leading from a single CATV drop line to the devices, which are disposed in various rooms at various distances from the drop line. Thus, even if a signal of optimal strength arrives at a particular facility, signal splitting and attenuation can occur before information reaches downstream target devices.
Amplifiers are available for use as drop amps. A drop amp is an amplifier placed in-line upstream of a target device such as a information presentation, information recording, or information processing device. However, special training and calibration equipment are typically required if the gain of a drop amp is to be selected to compensate for the particular attenuation characteristics of a particular transmission line.
It would be desirable to provide improved devices, assemblies, and methods for compensating for the particular attenuation characteristics of a particular transmission path.
The present invention addresses the above needs and enables other advantages by providing devices, assemblies, and methods for compensating for the particular attenuation characteristics of a particular transmission path such as a transmission line. In one aspect of the invention, a relaying device includes a content signal input port configured to receive a first electrical signal conveying information, a content signal output port configured to emit a second electrical signal conveying the information and configured to receive a reference signal, a gain regulation circuit in electrical communication with the content signal input port to establish a predetermined gain upon receipt of the reference signal at the content signal output port and generate the second electrical signal by applying the predetermined gain to the first electrical signal, and a control circuit disposed in electrical communication with each of the gain regulation circuit and the content signal output port to receive and measure the reference signal to establish the predetermined gain.
In another aspect of the invention, a relaying assembly includes a splitter configured to receive information and to provide multiple first electrical signals each conveying the information, and a plurality of relaying devices. Each relaying device includes a respective content signal input port disposed in electrical communication with the splitter and configured to receive a respective one of said first electrical signals, a respective content signal output port configured to emit a respective second electrical signal conveying the information and configured to receive a reference signal, a respective gain regulation circuit in electrical communication with the respective content signal input port to establish a respective predetermined gain upon receipt of the reference signal at the respective content signal output port and generate the respective second electrical signal by applying the respective predetermined gain to the respective one first electrical signal, and a respective control circuit disposed in electrical communication with each of the respective gain regulation circuit and the respective content signal output port to receive and measure the reference signal to establish the respective predetermined gain.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method includes disposing a relaying device and a reference signal generator into electrical communication with opposing ends of a transmission line, sending a reference signal along the transmission line from the reference signal generator to the relaying device, establishing a predetermined gain at the relaying device, receiving a first electrical signal conveying information at the relaying device, generating a second electrical signal at the relaying device by applying the predetermined gain to the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal conveying the information of the first electrical signal, and sending the second electrical signal along the transmission line from the relaying device.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
A relaying assembly 10 according to at least one embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically represented in
The relaying devices 100a-100n and connections 110a-110n in
Though these descriptions relate as well to other examples of use for the relaying assembly 10 and elements thereof, the CATV example is referenced several further times herein. In the CATV example, the relaying assembly represents an assembly in an environment such as a home or business where several media presentation devices or recording devices are present and in which optimal signal strength at each such device is desired for accurate and reliable media content presentation or recording. For brevity, the following descriptions refer to media presentation devices and recording devices as media devices. Media devices herein include dedicated presentation and recording devices such as televisions and digital video disk (DVD) recorders as well as multi-function devices having presentation and recording capabilities such as computers. Also, media devices herein include devices in the analog and digital regimes. Accordingly, electrical signals described herein relate to various modulation schemes by which information is conveyed in analog and digital formats.
A particular relaying device 100a will now be described with reference to
For convenience, these descriptions will refer to the electrical signals received by the relaying devices 100a-100n from the splitter as the first electrical signals. The first electrical signals convey information such as media content in the CATV example. These descriptions will likewise refer to second electrical signals and intermediary electrical signals, which convey the information conveyed by the first electrical signals, so that the various signals described herein can be readily differentiated by convenient terms.
The content signal input port 110a is configured to receive a first electrical signal, which conveys information, from the splitter 14. For example, the content signal input port 110a may be configured as a coaxial cable connector disposed in electrical communication with coaxial cable extending from the splitter, the content signal input port may be configured as a transmission line extending from the splitter to the gain regulation circuit 120a within a common housing that hosts the splitter and gain regulation circuit, and the content signal input port may be configured as an electrical contact connecting the splitter and gain regulation circuit.
Downstream propagation of information through the relaying device 100a may be understood in view of
The content signal output port 150a is configured to emit the second electrical signal from the gain regulation circuit. For example, the content signal output port 150a may be configured as a coaxial cable connector, and the transmission line 50a may be configured as a coaxial cable extending from the relaying device 100a to the media device 70. Thus, the output port 150a and the transmission line 50a may be configured according to F-Type, BNC-type, and RCA-type coaxial connection standards. It should be understood that these descriptions relate to other types of output ports and transmission lines as well.
Upon generation of the second electrical signal, the information conveyed by the first electrical signal is conveyed downstream from the gain regulation circuit to the transmission line 50a, and propagates downstream along the transmission line. In a media content presentation scenario of the CATV example, a media device 70 receives the second electrical signal at the second end 54a of the transmission line 50a and presents media content conveyed by the signal as shown in
The gain regulation circuit 120a includes an amplifier 122a disposed in electrical communication with the content signal input port 110a, and a variable slope circuit 124a disposed in electrical communication with each of the amplifier and the content signal output port 150a. In the CATV example, the amplifier 122a may be described as a drop amp. The amplifier 122a generates an intermediary signal that conveys the information conveyed by the first electrical signal by applying a first gain to the first electrical signal. The amplifier applies the first gain across the frequency domain of the field of use of the relaying device 100a. Thus, in an analog CATV example, the amplifier applies the first gain across at least the 55-550 megahertz frequency domain, and in a digital CATV example, the amplifier applies the first gain across at least the 550-860 megahertz frequency domain. In at least one embodiment, the amplifier applies the first gain at least across the 55-860 megahertz frequency domain that serves both analog and digital CATV transmissions.
A typical transmission line attenuates a propagating signal according to the frequency of the signal, with signals at higher frequencies typically suffering greater attenuation losses. For example, one hundred feet of typical RG-6 type coaxial cable frequently used in CATV signal distribution can impose approximately one decibel of attenuation upon signals at 50 megahertz and sixty decibels of attenuation upon signals at one gigahertz. Thus, in order to provide balanced signal strength at the second end 54a of the transmission line 50a across a wide frequency domain, the gain regulation circuit includes a variable slope circuit 124a that generates the second electrical signal by applying a frequency-dependent attenuation to the intermediary signal generated by the amplifier 122a. In the CATV example, it is expected that the variable slope circuit 124a applies higher attenuation at lower frequencies and lower attenuation at higher frequencies so that the combination of attenuation effects of the variable slope circuit and transmission line 50a is effectively generally uniform across the frequency domain of the field of use of the relaying device 100a. The attenuation applied by the circuit 124a is generally approximately linear as a function of frequency and thus the circuit may be described as a variable slope circuit.
The amplifier 122a and variable slope circuit 124a are disposed in serial relation to each other and thus serially combine their effects from a signal processing perspective. The combination of their effects defines the predetermined gain applied by the gain regulation circuit to the first electrical signals to generate the second electrical signals. The predetermined gain is frequency dependent according at least to the frequency dependent attenuation applied by the variable slope circuit. The first gain applied by the amplifier 122a and the attenuation applied by the variable slope circuit 124a are selected to compensate for attenuation in the particular transmission line 50a downstream of the relaying device 100a.
The serial relation of the amplifier and the variable slope circuit in
The establishment of the predetermined gain applied by the relaying device 100a may be understood in view of
In
The relaying device 100a and the reference signal generator 60 are configured to function together to initialize the relaying device to compensate for the particular attenuation characteristics of the particular transmission line 50a. The control circuit 130a is configured to receive and measure the reference signal and to establish the predetermined gain applied by the gain regulation circuit based on the measurement of the reference signal. The control circuit 130a receives and analyzes the reference signal and determines the attenuation imposed by the particular transmission line 50a. The control circuit then establishes the predetermined gain to be applied by the gain regulation circuit in order to compensate for the determined attenuation imposed by the transmission line.
The reference signal generator, in at least one embodiment thereof, generates a reference signal having at least two components at different frequencies in order to facilitate characterization and compensation of the frequency-dependent nature of the attenuation characteristics of the transmission line. In that embodiment, the reference signal includes at least a first oscillatory electrical signal at a first frequency and a second oscillatory electrical signal at a second frequency. The control circuit 130a receives and analyzes the multi-frequency reference signal and determines the frequency-dependent attenuation imposed by the particular transmission line 50a on the upstream-propagating reference signal. The control circuit then establishes the predetermined gain to be applied by the gain regulation circuit 120a by selecting the first gain applied by the amplifier 122a and selecting the frequency-dependent attenuation applied by the variable slope circuit 124a. The control circuit 122a generates control signals to control the amplifier and variable slope circuit. The first and second frequencies may be chosen to be respectively below and above the frequency domain of the field of use of the relaying device 100a. Thus, in the CATV example, the first frequency may be chosen to be 50 megahertz or lower, and the second frequency may be chosen to be 1000 megahertz or higher. Such choices would dispose the first frequency below the 55-550 megahertz analog CATV domain and would dispose the second frequency above the 550-860 megahertz digital CATV domain.
The control circuit is configured to maintain the predetermined gain established for the gain regulation circuit after cessation of the reference signal in order for the media content presentation scenario of
In step 410 (
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Jackson, David, Malak, Stephen P., Shafer, Steven K.
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Jan 09 2008 | SHAFER, STEVEN K | John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020352 | /0721 | |
Jan 09 2008 | MALAK, STEPHEN P | John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020352 | /0721 | |
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Nov 05 2012 | MR ADVISERS LIMITED | PPC BROADBAND, INC | CHANGE OF NAME SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 029803 | /0437 |
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